Power Plant Maintenance Engineer II

NovaSource Power Services is the world’s #1-ranked solar operations and maintenance (O&M) provider and insight-driven total asset optimization partner for renewables asset owners. With over 20 years of operating experience and a presence on 5 continents, NovaSource delivers comprehensive services including value engineering, performance analysis, strategic supply chain management, and advanced monitoring systems. The company manages over 30GW of solar power plants globally and extends expertise to battery energy storage systems (BESS), offering a complete suite of services for the evolving renewable energy landscape.

About the role

This role will report to the Maintenance Engineering Manager and provide Electrical and Protection Engineering expertise to NovaSource’s global fleet. The engineering team supports the business through:

• Continuous engineering support for global assets
• Executing value-added service projects such as repowering and protection system updates
• Building and maintaining critical infrastructure to support and monitor assets

Responsibilities

• Respond to daily requests for Maintenance Engineering support for the global fleet of power plants, including:
  • Conducting root cause analysis on breaker mis-operations by:
    • Analyzing relay event trip and sequential event recorder (SER) files
    • Studying substation single lines and wiring diagrams
    • Communicating with and providing recommendations to Field Service Technicians
    • Providing recommendations for and reviewing testing results of equipment such as bushings and breakers
  • Investigating and troubleshooting system alarms remotely with Field Service Technicians, including:
    • Relay alarms or failures
    • Transformer dissolved gas analysis (DGA) alarms
    • Transformer bushing monitoring system alarms
    • Inverter alarms
    • BESS alarms
  • Reviewing Preventative Maintenance Testing Reports and providing recommendations based on results
  • Retrieving and analyzing site record drawings (single line diagrams, cable schedules, etc.)
  • Retrieving, analyzing, and implementing protection system settings, updates, and logs
  • Communicating daily with Field Service Technicians to gather information or provide recommendations
  • Communicating with Customers, Owners, and Regulatory Agencies as needed
  • Collaborating daily with other Maintenance Engineering team members and internal Engineering Teams via email, chat, or phone
  • Participating in weekly team meetings to discuss open topics, review problems, and plan value-added services
• Quote, plan, and execute value-added service projects, such as:
  • Sizing and replacing inverters or transformers
  • Sizing and replacing cables
  • System modeling
• Build and maintain rapport with Field Service Personnel and Customers/Owners
• Create medium and high voltage engineering drawings for value-added service projects
• Travel locally or internationally up to 15% for site visits, team meetings, or training
• Use Microsoft Office 365 suite for emails, documents, schedules, and more
• Utilize OEM-specific software, including:
  • SEL Synchrowave / Quickset (RTAC Quickset)
  • Power Electronics Power Supervisor
  • SMA Remote Tool
  • Fluence DAS
  • Tesla Microscope

Requirements

• Communicate effectively in both verbal and written English
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365
• Familiarity with multiple countries' electrical standards (ANSI, IEEE, IEC, NETA)
• Basic understanding of SCADA/HMI systems
• Basic understanding of power plant controllers, inverters, BESS, capacitor banks, and solar tracking systems
• Basic knowledge of approved cybersecurity practices

High Voltage Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of high voltage substation engineering experience
• Extensive experience with SEL protection relays (e.g., SEL-351, SEL-735, SEL-487E, SEL-387, SEL-311L)
• Extensive experience with substation RTAC equipment (e.g., SEL-3530)
• Experience with GE Relays (GE-L90, GE-N60)
• Experience with ABB protection relays is a plus
• Experience with main power transformers and bushings
• Experience with dissolved gas analysis (DGA) and bushing monitoring systems (BMS)

Medium Voltage Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience in the Solar and BESS Renewable Energy industry
• Experience with string and central solar inverters
• Experience with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
• Experience with BESS Power Conversion Systems
• Experience with Medium Voltage Transformers (MVT)

Schedule

• Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm
• On-call rotation for Emergency Hotline coverage

Work Environment

• Chandler office – Hybrid/Remote options for qualifying candidates
• Periodic travel to sites, meetings, or training as required

Office Physical Requirements

All positions require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. Personnel must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation to service customers, both internal and external.